By: Prof Raymond Ooi
Research grants and funding schemes, especially those given by government ministries, are increasingly focused on areas such as artificial intelligence, green energy, big data, health, and security. These are undoubtedly important fields, but we must also consider the potential of other emerging areas, such as quantum and optical science and technology, which hold tremendous promise for the future.
The Newton-Ungku Omar Fund (NUOF) is a great initiative supporting themes such as Creative Economy and Cultural Heritage, Energy-Food-Water-Environment, and Mental Health. These are relevant to many current challenges. However, there is room for a broader focus, especially in areas that could significantly shape the future of our high-tech industries, such as technologies based on the science of light and quantum physics. Sir Isaac Newton’s work in these fields has revolutionized our understanding of the physical world, and NUOF can aim to build on that legacy.
Conducting impactful research is similar to planting seeds for the future. It requires time, patience, and sustained support before bearing fruit, and when it does, the benefits are substantial and potentially revolutionary—improving quality, fostering innovation, and driving technological advancements. This long-term view is crucial for fostering disruptive technologies and enhancing Malaysia’s global standing in scientific research. Programs like the High Impact Research (HIR) project in Universiti Malaya, which have brought international recognition and thus collaborations to local research, are examples of this.
For Malaysia to become an industrialized and developed nation, our industries must evolve from assembly-based operations to high-technology design and fabrication, supported by strong R&D and fundamentals. This shift is not only vital for economic competitiveness but also for the survival of industries. As noted by Tan Sri Lim Wee Chai, CEO of Top Glove, businesses that invest in research and development are better positioned to lead globally.
A key area of focus should be industries based on optical technologies. Products such as solar panels, flexible phones, high-resolution cameras, medical optical probes, and optical sensors—transformative technologies in everyday life—are driven by advances in quantum and photon science. Countries around the world are recognizing this and investing heavily in research through centres of photonics and quantum technologies.
Unfortunately, in Malaysia, quantum and photon science has yet to receive the same level of attention and support, despite its potential to shape future industries. A small number of dedicated scientists are working in this field, but they could benefit from more robust backing. Expanding our focus to include these emerging fields will position Malaysia to be at the forefront of global technological advancements.
The exciting breakthroughs in quantum and photon science—such as secure quantum communication networks, high resolution imaging, ultrasensitive sensing, high-precision time standards, nanolasers, ultrashort attosecond pulses, and optical coherence tomography—are solving previously insurmountable challenges and offering innovations that enhance security, defense, healthcare, and quality of life. However, for Malaysia to capitalize on these opportunities, we must embrace a forward-looking approach to research funding.
While we have many Centres of Excellence, there is still room to incorporate cutting-edge topics such as quantum information science, and ultrafast, high-intensity laser research. These fields are central to the global research landscape, and Malaysia has the capability to make significant contributions.
It is encouraging to see institutions like Universiti Malaya’s Quantum and Laser Science, that has been doing fundamental quantum optics and laser-interaction research, and with increased and sustained support, we can cultivate a generation of researchers who will propel Malaysia into the future of optical and quantum technologies. We have the talent and the potential—what we need is a strategic and sustained investment to build our own research powerhouses in these fields.
By investing on quantum and photon science, Malaysia can develop advanced optical industries and secure its place as a leader in future technologies. Let us seize this opportunity to prepare for a future that will be defined by breakthroughs in these cutting-edge fields.
The author is an elected Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, and a professor of quantum physics at the Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya. He may be reached at rooi@um.edu.my
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